http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b015mqp2

Saturday, December 22, 2007

Extra walk-Charing Eastwell Challock and back

Check out the disgraceful Electrical installation on this G1 Listed building!

The rangey came up this hill-full marks for courage

These woods,when dark and rainy are a bit spooky,you can imagine that someone or something is watching you and will leap out on you when you aren't looking

I was just saying that the last time I walked up here (1998) a LandRover made it necessary to climb over the fence to proceed - - -lo and behold

We decided to do a supplimentary walk,as the world had gone a bit mad buying enough food for two weeks

We caught the train to Charing and walked to the village,bought a sausage roll and coffee at the butchers,and retired to the church yard to eat it.The weather was milder (4 C)with no wind,and the sun rising over the yardarm.Uphill at the start and then along the NDW to Eastwell ,not too muddy,as the ground was still hard from last night (-4 C)We saw a helicoptor bringing guests to the Eastwell hotel,and then climbed the hill to Challock Church.Isolated after the Black Death,the church stands alone in the woods.

Up to the Charing-Canterbury road and then along the road and in to Paddock Farm.

There was a bench seat in the woods where we had our coffee and sandwiches.

We went through the woods to the sound of a shoot,which was coming to an end and then crested the downs and turned into Wrotham wood,where there was another shoot and we left the wood under the advice of a beater as a safety measure!

Past the gliding club and onto the Green Lane where we encountered a range Rover taking up the whole path.we squeezed past and descended the hill,which was steep rutted and very flinty to emerge on the NDW again and past Burnt Farm and down into the village

As we had just missed the hourly train,we called at the pub where a request for the advertised soup,brought the reply thht "It was only cuppa soup" so we passed on that one.

We caught the punctual train back.

A walk of 13 miles with 2 extra from the station -15 in all.

A hot bath,mug of tea and chocoalte biscuit and the road to recovery

p.s We didn't see anyone else walking the footpaths-we must be a dying breed.

Below-This chopper was bringing people to the Eastwell Hotel for a wedding?The helicopters are operated by AV8 of Rochester airport,who charter them for private ,or corporate trips,according to my aviation contact

the last time we walked this exposed field was in a force 9 gale with horizontal rain and serious mud-what a contrast now

Below Challock Church a classic isolated position after The Black death caused the village to up sticks and go a mile up the road.(what was left of them)All the thatched wattle and daub houses fell into disrepair.Interestingly,on the satellite view ,crop marks indicate the position of the old village

the Church at Challock,I once heard a child screaming through the thick fog,and blundered about 1Km out of my way to investigate what was up.It turned out to be a litle darling having a tizzy,who had been dragged out of church for misbehaving

Below -another view of the hedge on the Pilgrims way(a victorian invention)/North Downs Way

below-a very mature layered hedge ,you might see the width of the branches